GREYMOUTH FIRST ANNUAL RACES.

Grey River Argus, Volume III, Issue 184, 19 March 1867, Page 2

GREYMOUTH FIRST ANNUAL RACES.

■J:-: . ■ . FiRSTjDAYi^ ; :.:"Vv.- --• Had tha "clerk of :the weather" been specially desired to accommodate his meteorological arrangements to the convenipjice ; and :pbmfprt of .pubHJI; : be " could.: not: possibly have provided a- more congenial condition of the elements. A bright sun in a cloudlesp sky, a gentle yet cooling breeze,* and a soft moonlight after Old Sol had disappeared, combined to make yesterday ; one of the finest of the many fine; days we have lately had on the West Coast. ' The heavy showers which fell en Friday evening, and which damped the spirits aB well as the feet of the Greymouth folks, had only the effect of clearing the. at-, mospheye and refreshing the perennial veger tation pf tlie piptuTesque banks :pf the' Grey, The propitousiweather was, however, but a fitting accompaniment to a most successful day in the annals of the New -Zealand turf, tit is true.there -was not a first-rate well-ac-custpjhed ebursei-there were no very 'Icrack 1 ' hopses=-tjie races were riot inauguriitedSby any special display ; but neyerth§lesßj the day deiaerves to be marked in letter? of red in the phrpnplogy of the Grey district.' If many things were wanting, which elser where the admirers of the turf desire to there were maiiy conditipns forthcoming which might reasonably have not beeir'ex* pected, and above all there was that amount of general intention to please &tift be pleased, which made success a certainty. -The course might have formed one of the achieveriients of the "Spirit pf theLamp'V-fpr fewpersons could have believed that in the 'ordinary way of things, that which but a few daysiago was 'a dense patch of pfhrieval forest could have been converted so rapidly into a smooth springy, raoe course. To whomsoever the credit of this portion of the labor of the Stewards may be due, we can only thus publicly compliment them on the result of their labor. The selection of a site imtist itseU have: bean a work of ; no small difficulty —in fact we know that long after the idea of of races hi' this district was started, it was considered an almost hopeless task to find a suitable course. : . But where: .there is: a will there is a way, and as there was the strongest possible will in this case the way was 'riot ; long in ;being';discoyered: i In fact, the indefatigable manager of the first Greymouth R aces is fairly entitled .to wear the motto iiiveniavi viamautfaciam, the more so that 1 ! the site he did find was in every respect ft most admirable one — barring the distance from town. Th<j course is situated ' about a quarter of a' mile beyond, the first bridge on the Arnold track. After crossing the bridge^ arid "trudging, "as well as : one can, through: a couple of hundred yards of deep sand, a lane runs from the right hand into the bush. This lane,' although only cut and hastily formed within a week or two of the present time, reminds one of a village rpad— the short thick bush on either side "not being very ) ;much unlike the high hedgerows in the old country. .Fiye minutes' walk along this lane brings you to the racecourse—a large area cut out of the dense forest which surrounds it on every hand. A glance is'Bufßcient to show the carefulness aud efficiency of the .work of clearing the grouml. The course itself has been entirely cleared from every vestige of root . or, stump, and the soil being naturally sandy and porous, it hasbecome soft and springy.\The ; area*is almost entirely level, there beiug only a flight rise and fall at one portion of the. ring, but too small to affect the running.: The situation is most picturesque : behind a range ofhills almost precipitciis, and clpthedvwith forest from base to summit, forms a background r that is perhaps not to be seen on any other race- course in the world. In front, in the far distance, ..a glimpse of the ranges of the Upper Grey may be caught, and the bold outlines of the hills, stretching from either side of the coal mine ... gorge help to forma tout ensemble of picturesque effect not often excelled. Yesterday the natural beauties of the situatipn> were much heightened by-.the contrast afforded by the busy: animated throng of human and equine life;, the waving banners, arid pealing music; to the stillness and sombre aspect of the forest around. The growid was well "attended/ there being about 12Q0 persons present. The; booths were fixed under and on each side of the Grand' Stand, which 'last /mentioned building is placed on the west side o'fthe course under the high background of hill?; The Stand itself is a most substantial aud -. convenient structure, : cdristructed ' and de-^ . sign,e4 ..by. Mr ,Somner, and.in every,sense a creHlt v to ata F %rchite^t and ;^ui|[d(B^- ;?I^;ia : most carefully braced, and of stich strprig material as to' -be capable of safely bearing double the nuu:ber of persons ever likely to be uppn.it i at;pne itime. > The judge's box is placed a little distance -frpiin the Stand, and the starting place is also within good view. Everything is. well- arraiigedj and there is an uninterrupted view of the whole courses Approach tpthe course is obtained by both land .and'^ water. Boats can go iup the river as far as and thence up a small lagoon or overflow to the back' 'of the course, 'whjjst the track, as already mentioned, passes within a few hundred yards pf the entrance. The road did nof present many incidents of .nirte, occasionally ja;few;excited equestrians caused a spasmodic panic by galloping at a ' rapid pajß|46 n 6j!^e^ arr OW track which here - and there approaches dangerously near the jsteep; cliffs of- the river .bank; But no ■ ac.oi* ( dent occurred so . far as . we are aware i either road or -river-T-the only, incident j out of the common being the much to ] be regi'etted -rinsriccessful attempt of the new stern- wheel , steamer. Golden Land ] to surmount the rapids. This "Little vessel although ■ad^nira,bly : adapted, for river work in less - rapid waters is, we fear not powerful ;enough/ to oyerQome the nu.inerpns falls of the Grey, although she made one trip upvwjtii . ;' cargo, in. tUe/mprning.. She afterwards started ■ 1 with a full complement of passengers, i and .] succeeded in getting up- beyond the second .-. fallj but. owing to :% disarrangement :pfcher i machinery, '■;■ she v/a&^^ compelled tP i Jand.;^he r i freight. and .tujntail,.,, ,- .■•.-.•,.; :u; ; :K> v- ; ; k Of theraceswe can only speakintermsof the ( highest praise^ Tp say thatthey exceed^dariti- j cipation is not sufficient, for very few "j ould y. expect anything s6 creditable as theywere,- ; bpthva?.T e g^4 ? *^ e^ ol^^^ '', There was a numerous field.^bmprismg many - 1 vhorses of local reputation, -and soa^e>which ' have earned laurels, which are still green. ; It is indeed something for; Greymouth; to congratulate itself on thatvthe'honpra of the tirst day were w-ont.-by;'a"lo.cal\qwner.'^'Jiir.:/ H ' '■■;'■ ". ■■'.""• . : ' : -iL : '. :: '': ; V.-.::"-:.-- :- '■€

Paul carried off the two crack jJHJOwi o minor note falling to Hokitii||pifid ''one to an up-country sportsman. Tj| pbUowing were the races run : — HlHl^ Trial Stakeh of 50 soys, open on - the property of bona /i/ewKs' in Westland. Weight for ag^^ifltaile and a half. Entrance, ssowr^ lm MtJ. Paul's cm Mocking Bird, &m .. |l' b n ■•■ - •-.." (Mdrtinf\lv lib artorth>s br g K:ohler » ICgt feffr Mr T. Harris' c f Red Rose, 7«t Ss||r Mr G; Mason'B b g Selim, JOst luKgm Mr J. Kennedy's c f Bella Donna, 7KBI (Bee<?hyl^Eß% Mr J. Wilkie's b. g Hatter, lOsti'SlMp Mr G. Harrison's br g Types, lOstJ^Ek Mr P. eomiskey'sbkg, Waun'ea, lOj^^KL A protest was entered, signed I^^^B£ O'Donue]], Paulj Mason, GarforthJ^^^Hpfv and Coiniskey, against Hatter, on th^^^Hr of not belonging to Mr Wilkie, and l^^^B* not ■< being a resident. The pn^^Hw; : entered into before starting, but the^^^Kp decided to allow Hatter to run wiilS^Hp judice, In the preliminary canta|^^M§C-. Donna broke away, and run at raciij^^Hp nearly twice round the course bd|^^H§|: jockey could haul her up, At j^^^Glp Bella Donna took the lead, closely^^Hraf^ by Mocking Bird and Red Rose, I^^Hp-~ tamed it f or the whole of the first r^^HKpf towards : the finish she evidently|^^^Hps effects of her first runaway and hao^^^H|! way to Mocking Bird which won^^HGll Kohler and Red Rose running a tie f^^H^P' . pl^ce. This was really a capital r|^Hßi§ : ' but: for the circuinstauce already me|^^Hg|i:.it is exceedingly probable Bella Donnj^^Hlf --i haye pulled; it off. V " l^BliP The second race was the Packers' Purse, of 25 soys, and a new^H&p saddle for the second horse. For ]^^H|f|; ■ that can be proved to have reg^^HEfii: packed, on any part, of the West <^H§jp . for not less than one? month durin^^Hrep last six months. Welter weight fo^HE || Heats. .One mile. .Entrance, 2 so^^R Mr Carroll's Charles O'Malley, 12st § •Mr C. Hooper's b mDbsey, istet 41bs, p Fiyehorses thvee in additioffife to the Jiboye being Archer, Str^f J. Wilkie's Farmer) and Mr Fain's Limerick ' * Lass. It wtvs ail excellent race, especially : in the seciond heat, Charlgs O'Malley M 4 Dosey running neck and neck for some Ijiß> tonce. The second horse was entitled jijgfjv ■"••"•: new pack-saddle, which^'was at once placed upon it afterthe race. v Town 50 soys, open to all horses, ... "^Wcagnt for ageiji Two miles, Entranqe,/ "k ■■.s{"..'. s soys. ,;.■■■-.- s-.V::. . .'..', .'■*s'. I Mr Paul's' cm Mocking Sird, 9st' 121t>Si '< I '" '-'"" : ■•■".-■ '■'■'■■'.*■■■ ■:.?'-'■ Martin IB Mr J, K^fpx's br g Candidate, 9st lllbsr B f .."■••.. Goodmani I : Only four hors^es started, Hatter, hay .■ been scratched, tfie others 1 being- Mr C./ •;:#? B bo ne's 'Don Pedro, agtl Mr G. ; 'Harri/ \■ B Types: Candidate wlis most in esteerf '■"'^■■B this ra<je, and took the^ lead at Vstafv Don Peilro :.'■' running *^immediately /^; ; 'i : : : -^H and Mocking Bird and Types behind/;^ Don, however, soon: fell "'off, arid Mv ; °^H Bh-d gradually' crept tip, keepiujl- '^H safe distance until called on, wjf answered^' like r'a bird," and, runniw--,^ ;^H side Candidate, put him to all he knf. '. '• ; - v^^| her, but^ he had to give in, iMo^- .'-'^^B wiuriiiig by seyeriil lengths^- Tf beautiful race arid thoroughly we/ H^^^B For fully a mile or a mile arid/ finish, Mocking Bird and Can/ '".' j^^^B close as two lovers, but when n| ; -^^^^1 Stand Mocking Bird shot ahead I,—Vfii-y^.^B^^H1 ,— Vfii-y^.^B^^H date's case was hopeless . Types' ridefv the second round, but was not m»^^i: Butcheks' Purse, of 25 soysj \ '', ' j^^^l property of Westlaiid Cattlel *^^^| Butchers. /Weight for age^ 1 or second 'iri-.the Trial^ tStakei Plate to carry, respectively a \ , -V :^^H 71bs audSlbs. ' One mile and a\ r^^H Mr J. Harris's c f Red Rose, 7sci :^^^| Mr S.Garforth'sbrg Kohler, 10s|\ : :^H Mr O'Donnell's s g Henwick Lad, lOst ■■■;: : ; v ;X'": V -;:,r. y '..' : : :^'.'-: : ' (Qriodmi;' v ;; : -: : ',.^H A false start was made by Heriwir%':,i^H whether from the fault of the starterj : .^^H not yet decided, as the protest afteyw tered has to be adjudged. Henwick ] the start and kept the lead for nearly but was overtaken and-passedby Re which ma.iiitained the front pla.ce . ; :^| finish, . . / : ■ Hcrdle Race, of 50 soys, open to all hc\ H weight for age ; heats ; one mile a > half: - Entrance, 5 sovs;p ;-? ; it •> ". \ - H Mr Alman's br,g. Brown Stput,;idst lib 1 H MrKellock'sbr.m.Bb^B6ririy^6sitllb-l ■ § The other horses were. Mr Mason's Set J H Mr Osborne's Tird ■ Whiffler/ ; l&r- Grorf: i ■ Shillelagh, and Mr Harrison's J2(P I Brown Stout was first favorite inthST \ ■ v v H although; ScUm was colnsiderati^ V SvH Brown Stout got the best place at tl; i i^H audkeptii: Selimseeiriedtohayeaeh* |" \ ■ his rider made a beautiful tumble and si ' vl Brown Stout won, the firsts heat/ * V AB Boimy being .second and Cure-all thirA .. \ -(B the second heat. Blink Bonriy fell and ) yB her rider^ and Brown Stout was the only ■ ; ; ; v - r % I that completed the distance. The race B >;■ good one, and the leaps were well taken. ■ ■{ I : ;.;It wasi.f jai-ed that Blink Boririy'sijpMi , -I was seriously hurt, but after beirig^caft ; | i nto one "of" tbe booths, he was attended I Dr Hector (who had promptly run to hiS I sistance after the fall), and Dr Smith •• jH I pronounce^ him to be only severely stuniß I